


Scotland, 1746

by Spannah339



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-19 07:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22707340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spannah339/pseuds/Spannah339
Summary: Jamie McCrimmon, fresh from the adventures he doesn't remember finds himself captured by strange beasts from the stars.The Doctor and Donna hit the wrong time again.(An old story I found and decided wasn't actually that bad)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	Scotland, 1746

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER. This story is like.... three years old? I was snooping around my old Wattpad stories (boy, it has been a while!) and came across this in a draft. And honestly, it's not bad? Like, I think I've improved somewhat since I wrote this but I'm still pretty happy with it (and I know I wouldn't be able to write Doctor Who characters in character anymore!) I've done no editing but fixing up spelling mistakes and stuff so you can bask in the glory of my 17-year-old self's writing. 
> 
> It's also not finished. Which is why it was just a draft. But it has a semi satisfying ending, and who knows, maybe one day I'll come back to it.  
> anyway, enjoy!

Two young men crouched at the top of a hill, watching a group of men march along the base of the hills.

"Redcoats. We should kill 'em!" the redhead hissed his hand darting to a sword on his kilt.

"What do you think two of us can do?" the other said, laying a hand on the first's arm. "They'll slaughter us."

"Are ye coward, James? To used to piping you won't fight?" the first snapped, but moved his hand.

"I'm no coward, I do'nae want to be killed by the redcoats," the second — Jamie McCrimmon -- answered. The other — Hamish McDuncan — snorted, turning his attention back to the troops passing them.

Jamie continued watching the line of soldiers march out of ear view, wishing he could attack the invaders. It had only been a week since the battle; since the Scottish troops loyal to Bonnie Prince George had been scattered and hunted. A week since the three strangers who had helped Jamie had left.

The memory of the strangers made Jamie frown. He felt there was something more to them, something to do with the strange dreams he had been having over the past week. They would always fade soon after he woke, but he remembered feelings; excitement, adventure, fear — and a strange blue box. He knew there was something imported to do with the box, there was some connection between the box and the three strangers; the Doctor, Ben and Polly. But every time he tried to remember, the memories seemed to evade him.

"Hey, James. They're gone now. Maybe we can follow them and try to sabotage them," Hamish said, shoving Jamie's shoulder.

"Aye," Jamie agreed, scrambling to his feet. "And call me Jamie."

The two Scotsmen moved after the British troops, keeping a safe distance to them. The sun was beginning to set when the men stopped, putting up a campsite. Jamie and Hamish stayed a safe distance from them, spying on them from above.

"They think they own the place," Hamish growled, pacing back and forth. They had set up a small camp — if you could call it a camp with no tents or fire — on the other side of the hill from the redcoats, Jamie could see the smoke from their fires rising above the hill.

"They all but do now," Jamie muttered, sitting on the grass. Hamish snorted.

"I'm beginning to think you are a coward," he snapped. Jamie said nothing, picking at the edge of his kilt.

He was woken from a dream, which faded as soon as he opened his eyes. Hamish was standing over him, hissing his name.

"Ach, what're you up to?" Jamie hissed.

"There's sounds of fighting coming from over the hill. Our troops must have found 'em," he answered.

Jamie scrambled to his feet, drawing his sword as he did.

"Let's go help our boys then," he said savagely.

They bounded up the hill, reading to rush into the fray with war cries, but they stopped in shock at what they saw on the other side of the hill.

Fires dotted the campsite and people were running and shouting. But what really shocked the two young men was a large, silver _thing_ in the centre of the camp. It was egg-shaped, with what looked like wings sprouting from the sites. And from a large hole in its belly moved creatures. They were green, and about the size of a man - though much stockier - and slightly reptilian with large hands. They were forcing the redcoats into the silver egg.

"What are they?" Hamish asked, his sword by his side as he stared at the strange beasties.

"They're from the stars," Jamie answered, not knowing how he knew that. For some reason, the strange creature didn't surprise him, though he knew they should. He hadn't seen anything like them before — had he? And yet somehow they seemed familiar.

"We'd best get out of here," he said, turning to Hamish who was still staring in shock. "They might want us like they want the redcoats."

Hamish didn't answer, but he turned to go, still in shock. Suddenly he stopped.

"Jam–Jamie, look," he hissed, pointing. Jamie turned to see what his clansman was worried about. A young woman, a Celt — obvious by her clothing — was being dragged by her hair into the egg. She was screaming and kicking and the sight of her treatment made Jamie burn with anger.

"They've got a lassie," he growled. "We can't let them take her."

"Aye. But what can we do? We don't have guns, and the redcoats don't seem to be doing much to them."

Jamie frowned, glaring down at the sight before him. As he watched, the lassie was dragged into the egg.

"We sneak in," he said at last. "Then we can make a plan to get her out. Come on." Hamish frowned, but nodded and followed Jamie down the hill.

*

The TARDIS appeared with the usual scraping sound, landing not far from the battle site the next morning. The door was pulled open, and the Doctor looked out, smiling. Donna appeared behind him, standing in the doorway.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking about the moor. The Doctor frowned a little before answering.

"Scotland," he answered. "1846 I believe."

"Scotland?" Donna demanded. "Out of all the planets and places we could go, you had to take me to Scotland?"

"Oi! Scotland's not bad," the Doctor said, glaring up at her. "Besides," he added. "We're in the past, that's something new, right? And it's a bit warmer than the Ood planet."

Donna snorted, stepping out of the ship and pulling the door shut behind her.

"Well, let's have a look around then. Did anything actually happen in 1846?"

"Weell, there –" the Doctor stopped mid-sentence, frowning. "Hold on, what's that?"

A pillar of dark smoke rose up from the hills, black against the clear sky.

"It looks like smoke," Donna replied. The Doctor gave her a stare before saying, "I can see that Donna. Let's see what's causing it. _Allons-y_!" And without waiting for her, he started off with a run. Donna sighed, throwing her arms in the air and rushing after him.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the source of the smoke. The Doctor skidded to a stop, his coat-tails flying around them and waited for Donna to join him. She arrived panting and scowled at him.

"It's always running with you, isn't it?" she growled as she regained her breath.

"Yup!" The Doctor said, grinning. But the grin faded as he looked down at the battle sight — though it was more like a massacre.

He began running down the hill, half sliding until he made it to the bottom. Donna sighed and followed.

"These don't look like nineteenth-century uniforms," he muttered, kneeling by one of the bodies. He sighed; closing the man's eyes – they were wide open in terror – and muttered, "I'm sorry."

"Oh, so you took us to the wrong place. Again," Donna said, crossing her arms. The Doctor looked up from where he was kneeling.

"I usually go where I want to," he said defensively. "Besides, we're still in Scotland. By the looks of the uniforms 1700s." He frowned, scanning the battle site. "I've been here before. Well, not here, but in this time. Well, not this time exactly, but sometime in the same few years."

He stood, dusting off his pants. "I think we should get out of here," he said at last. "It looks like the government troops were attacked by natives."

"Well, where are their bodies then?" Donna asked, looking around.

"What?" The Doctor frowned, scanning the campsite again. Sure enough, there only seemed to be British troops.

"You would think that there would be some casualties on the other side if they were attacked," Donna said, and the Doctor nodded, agreeing with her.

A groan caught his attention, and he spun around. He moved towards the sound, and saw a young Scotsman, badly wounded, laying half under one of the tents.

The Doctor knelt by him, and the man held up his hands in fear.

"Beasties! Great beasties!" he cried, before dropping his arms back down. He was obviously badly wounded.

"What beasties? What happened?" the Doctor asked, putting on a Scottish accent. The man was more likely to trust him if he used the native accent.

"Attacking the redcoats! They had a lassie. We had to help her. But they saw us." He shuddered, and the Doctor spun.

"Donna! See if you can find a first aid kit or something in the tents," he shouted. Donna nodded and began searching the tents. The Doctor turned back to the Scotsman and smiled encouragingly.

"What happened?" he asked again.

"Great green beasties. We were going to leave, but we couldn't let them take the lassie. Jamie. What happened to Jamie?"

"I don't know what happened to your friend," he said. The man groaned, closing his eyes slightly. The Doctor gripped his hand. "Donna!" he shouted. "Hurry up!"

"I'm trying!" Donna shouted. The Doctor scowled and turned back to the Scotsman, who was muttering something under his breath.

"Ach, tis the Silver Piper. Aye. I'm ready"

"No! No, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor cried. But it was too late. The Scotsman closed his eyes and breathed his last. The Doctor lowered his eyes, releasing the man's hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"Doctor!" Donna called, and he bounded to his feet to join his companion.

"What's wrong?" he asked, joining her.

"Look," she said, pointing to the ground. In the grass and mud was a clear footprint - obviously not human.

"What do we have here," the Doctor muttered, crouching. He ran a finger through the mud, picking a glob up. Raising it to his face, he sniffed it, before licking it slightly. Making a face, he stood and wiped his hands on his pants.

"Some kind of alien – a beastie," he muttered. "Can you find anything else? Any more unusual footprints or markings? Anything?"

Donna nodded and moved back into the demolished camp, searching for any more footprints.

There was a number of them, accompanied by human prints, but it didn't take them long to find the main impression.

The grass was flatted in the centre of the camp, footprints churning around them. The Doctor frowned, pacing up and down the length of the flattened area.

"There was a ship here," he said as Donna joined him. "Rather primitive by the looks of these scorch marks, perhaps gas powered. So, some kind of alien appeared, snatched the redcoats, and – by the sounds of it – a young Scotsman and woman. Only thing is, I don't know where they've gone."

"Well that's just fantastic," Donna said. "Can you track it or something? Use your fancy screwdriver."

"Donna Nobel, you're a genius!" the Doctor cried, pulling out the screwdriver as he spoke. "Brilliant! I can pick up the signal with my sonic, and magnify it with the help of the TARDIS! We will be able to find the residue from the gas left behind from the ship, and with any luck materialise right inside it! _Allons-y_!"

He bounded up the hill, almost before he had finished speaking, and Donna rushed after him, sighing softly.

Back at the TARDIS, the Doctor rushed to the console, flicking switches and pulling levers.

"There's a slight trace, yes. I can follow it." He pressed a button as he spoke, before picking up the hammer and thumping the console. "Oh yes!" he said, a grin covering his face. "I've got the signal – hold down that button, Donna – let's see where it takes us."

He pulled down a level and the TARDIS shuddered before the centre console began moving up and down and the usual scraping sound that accompanied the ship's movement filled the room.

*

Jamie blinked his eyes open. A single name remained in his mind as he regained consciousness.

Victoria.

Victoria? He didn't know anyone called Victoria. Victoria wasn't even a Scottish name. But whatever the case, he felt that this female he may have once known had meant a great deal to him.

A harsh light called him back to reality and he opened his eyes fully to look around. He was in a small, silver room. The floor beneath him was hard and cold. He tried to push himself up but couldn't, finding himself tied to the wall.

The murmur of voices caught his attention, and he turned his head to the side to see the redcoats, all tied against the wall beside him. He scowled. It was bad enough being captured by strange beasties, it was worse being locked up with _redcoats._

The wall to his right slid open, and one of the strange creatures appeared, dragging a figure. It tossed its prisoner to the ground and moved out again. At once Jamie could see it was the female he had rushed after. And she wasn't moving. A large burn covered her face and her skinned was red - it looked like she had been exposed to extreme heat.

"Hey, lassie. Are ye alright?" Jamie called quietly, not wanting to speak loud for fear the beasties would return. He stretched out a foot and gently prodded her. She remained still.

"Leave her be, yah savage," one of the redcoats called over to him. "Can't you see she's dead?"

Jamie glared at him but didn't say anything. He was right. The girl hadn't moved - hadn't even breathed since the creature had left. He could have done something - he should have done something. It was his fault, and now she was dead.

"The monster killed her and now it's gonna kill us!" one of the other men called, pulling in vain against his bonds. "We're all going to die!"

A ripple of nervousness spread around the men but Jamie was surprised to find himself calmer than he should be considering the circumstances.

"Alright! Alright!" he snapped as he sensed the redcoats becoming hysterical. "Calm yourselves, if they wanted us dead they'd have killed us before, aye?"

"But she was alive when they brought her - wherever we are now," one of the men said, nodding towards the limp figure of the girl. Jamie looked down at her again and felt a large sense of guilt again. He should have done something for her.

"Aye, maybe so," he said slowly. "But we're still alive now, and unless the beasties -" the wall slid open again and Jamie fell silent. One of the beasties stood in the opening and pointed its claw hand at Jamie. He suddenly felt very afraid.

It stepped forward and pulled him up, whatever was tying him to the wall vanishing as it did. He staggered to his feet and was forced forward.

"Move," the creature said, in a voice that seemed vaguely familiar to Jamie. But he had never seen beasties like this before.

"It speaks," one of the redcoats muttered but Jamie didn't hear any more from his fellow prisoners as the wall slid shut behind him.

He found himself in a hall, the walls just as silver as the room he had left. Swallowing his fear, he moved forward as the beastie pushed him from behind.

 _What have ye gotten yourself into now, Jamie,_ he thought as he moved down the hall. As he moved down the halls, a strange sound caught his ear - a sound that was so alien, so unusual, he knew he could never have heard it before. And yet, it made him feel safe, made him feel like everything was going to be alright. It gave him hope.

**_Vromp vromp vromp vromp_ **

A flash of blue - out of place in the strange, silver world - and then he was forced around the corner.

*

The TARDIS thudded to a stop as the noise died away. The Doctor grinned at Donna from across the console.

"We've landed," he said. "Coming?" He bounded towards the room as he spoke, snatching up his coat and pulling it on. Donna followed at a much slower pace.

The Doctor gently pulled the door open and stepped out. A glance down the hall to the right showed it was clear, but around the corner to the left, the Doctor saw a familiar alien forcing a young man before him.

The young man was obviously the Scotsman the man below had spoken of, the kilt he wore a testimony to that. He was too far away to be recognised.

But the alien, the Doctor knew what that was at once. He hadn't seen one for years, but it was undoubtedly an Ice Warrior, inhabitant of Mars.

He sucked in a breath and stepped back towards the TARDIS, where Donna was standing in the door. What were Ice Warriors doing in 18th century Scotland?

"Well?" Donna demanded.

"Ice Warriors. I've faced them before. Oo, long time ago now. But it means I know their weakness. Come on."

"We're going towards them?" Donna demanded.   
  
"They've got a prisoner – besides, I want to know what they're doing," the Doctor called over his shoulder as he rounded the corner. "They're in the wrong time."   
  
"So are we," Donna said.   
  
"Yes, but Donna," the Doctor said, turning to face her. "I'm a Time Lord. They're not."

The Ice Warriors had stopped. One of them raised a hand, and the wall slid open. The Doctor managed to catch a glimpse of the room before the door closed again. It was large, split in half by a large, glass wall.

As the door slid shut again, the Doctor turned to Donna.   
  
"I'll distract them, you go in and find the temperature gauge. Make it as hot as you can," he said.   
  
"Me?" Donna asked. The Doctor nodded, looking her in the eye.   
  
"Yes Donna. You. You can do it."   
  
"But –" Donna began. The Doctor shook his head.   
  
"No buts. There's no one else to do it, and I need your help."   
  
Donna nodded, stealing her face.   
  
"Alright. I'll do it."   
  


"Good," the Doctor said as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver, aimed it at the door and pressed the button. It buzzed and lit up, and the door slid open.   
  
Now he could get a good look at the room. Boxes and crates covered the floor, and the Ice Warriors were near the glass wall, staggering slightly as they pushed the young man towards the door behind it. The heat was wearing them down already – they weren't used to heat, being native to Mars. The temperature gauge was on the wall, near the glass barrier. Behind the barrier, the Doctor could see the controls of a ship – the badly damaged controls of a ship.

"Who are you?" one of the Warriors asked. The Doctor shrugged, flipping his screwdriver in his hand.   
  
"I'm the Doctor. And you shouldn't be here."   
  
"The Doctor?" The Ice Warriors exchanged glances. "You cannot be."   
  
"But I am. And I advise you to leave." Donna was moving unnoticed into the room, ducking behind one of the boxes. "What are you doing here, and why have you been abducting humans?"

As he spoke the young Scotsman by the door turned around, ducking out of the grip of the Ice Warrior holding him. The Doctor nearly faltered in his speaking.

Jamie.

But that was impossible – well, it was Scotland. But why was Jamie here? He must have come closer to the original date of his arrival in Scotland than he had thought. It didn't look like Jamie had aged a day since he had last seen the young man.

The thoughts flashed through his mind in less than a second, and he turned back to the Ice Warriors.

"We need repairs," one of the Ice Warriors said, gesturing to the control panel behind him.   
  
"I can see that," the Doctor said. "That doesn't answer why you're abducting humans."   
  
"The heat iss too much for us," one of the Warriors said. "We need the humans to repair."   
  
"Oh aye," Jamie piped up. "The heat is too much for us as well – that lassie you brought in died."   
  
"Which iss why we need more," the other Ice Warrior said. He staggered slightly, lifting his arms.   
  
"Be ready to run," the Doctor said, and Jamie nodded. The young man was looking him up and down, frowning. Of course, he would have heard the Doctor's introduction – and of course he would remember meeting the Doctor previously – but he wouldn't be able to know they were the same.   
  
"Aye," he said, nodding. His hand moved to his belt, where his knife still hung. The Ice Warriors obviously hadn't seen it as much of a threat.

"Do you think they would have the knowledge to fix your machine?" the Doctor asked.  
  
"They will do as we say."   
  
A flicker of movement caught the Doctor's eye – Donna was ready. Lifting his sonic screwdriver, he pointed it at the door.   
  
"Now!" he shouted, pressing the button. The glass door swung open, and a wave of heat burst out. At the same time, Donna leapt up and turned the dial and Jamie leapt at one of the Warriors with a scream of 'Creag an tuire!'

The Ice Warriors stagged back and Donna rushed to the Doctor.

"Let's go," he said. "Come on, Jamie!" Jamie leapt off the Ice Warrior – which was now on the ground and rushed after the Doctor.

He closed the door with his sonic screwdriver, and grabbed Donna's hand, running down the corridor, Jamie rushing after them.

It didn't take the Doctor long to realise he had taken a wrong turn – or that the TARDIS had been taken. He skidded to a stop and sighed, letting go of Donna's hand. They had reached a dead end.

"Always... with... the running," Donna gasped out.

"That wouldn't have killed them," the Doctor said. "Wasn't hot enough. Which means we have to go back and face them."   
  
"And find the TARDIS," Donna muttered.   
  
"That too," the Doctor said.

Jamie joined them now, his knife still in his hand and his eyes narrowed.

"How do you know my name?" he asked. The Doctor cursed inwardly, remembering that he had shouted Jamie's name without thinking. Donna looked nervously between them, a frown on her face.   
  
"Long story, no time now. We have to figure out what the Ice Warriors want."   
  
"Those are the beasties?" Jamie asked. The Doctor nodded. "Who are you?" the Scotsman asked.   
  
"I'm Donna Nobel, and that's the Doctor," Donna said.   
  
"Jamie McCrimmon," Jamie said. "Though your friend here already seems to know that. How?"   
  
The Doctor was examining the wall, running his hand along it and frowning.

"Long story, and like I said – I don't really have time for it now."   
  
"No." Jamie moved forward, digging the knife into the Doctor's back. He froze – more from surprise at the action than fear. "How do you know me."   
  
He sighed, turning.   
  
"Alright. You used to travel with me, a long time ago. But my people wiped all memory of me from your mind."   
  
"Your people," Donna said, frowning. "You mean –"

"Yes Donna – I do," the Doctor said. He didn't want to talk about his people. About the Time Lords.

"That's impossible," Jamie said.

"Look," the Doctor stepped forward, only to be met with Jamie's knife. "Will you put that away? I can show you, okay? I can give you your memories back. But you have to trust me."

Jamie frowned, lowering the knife. His thoughts were muddled – how on earth could this strange man know who he was? He had never seen him in his life.  
  
"Oh aye, I should trust a man I just met," he said.   
  
"James Robert McCrimmon," the Doctor said. "Trust me."   
  
Jamie hesitated, slightly taken aback by the use of his full name. Finally, he nodded.   
  
"Aye. Do it."   
  
"Thank you," the Doctor said. He moved towards Jamie and lifted his hands to the human's head. Jamie stiffened but didn't move.   
  
"So... your people took his memories away?" Donna asked. "Why?"   
  
"I had stolen a TARDIS and broken many of their laws – Jamie was with me at the time and he was sent home with no memories of me, but for our first meeting." He turned back to Jamie. "Now, old memories might reawaken, just a side effect. If there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a door."

Jamie nodded, looking up at the Doctor.

"What are you going to do?"   
  
"I'm going into your mind."   
  
The Doctor closed his eyes, moving into Jamie's head. Memories flashed around him, battles, fights, laughing with people – he was present, along with Ben and Polly, the day they had first met Jamie.   
  
And a large number of doors, the Doctor left them be.   
  
"So, he forgot you?" He heard Donna ask, and grunted in the affirmative. "How could anyone forget you? I never will."  
  
"I know," he answered, not opening his eyes. "But it wasn't like he had a choice, they -" he stopped midsentence.  
  
It was them, a hint of the Time Lords. The first hint of his people since – since the Master. It made the silence in his head even worse, the aching, pounding silence that he would never be used to.

He heard Donna calling his name, but he didn't register it.

Who was he to remove what he people had done? Who was he to take away one of their last legacies?   
  
There it was – another door, this time locked with the seal of Rassilon. He couldn't do it – he couldn't remove what they had done.

But he had to. He needed Jamie to know, he needed Jamie.   
  
Who was he to remove what his people had done? He was the Doctor – the last of the Time Lords, the only survivor of his race. He was the Doctor - the Oncoming Storm, the destroyer of worlds, the one who ended the war. If anyone could remove it – he could.

With a burst of energy, he unlocked the door. A flood of memories rushed past him, moving too fast to see. Daleks, Cybermen, Ice Warriors, Yetis, Ben, Polly, Victoria, Zoe, the Brigadier.

Jamie staggered back and suddenly he was dragged out of his friend's mind. Jamie's hands were clasped to his head, and he blinked.   
  
"Doctor?" he asked, lifting his head and lowering his hands. 

The Doctor grinned, lowering his hands.   
  
"Welcome back, Jamie."


End file.
